Cadillac team principal Graeme Lowdon has made a candid admission that Sergio Perez was deprived of a critical upgrade component during sprint qualifying at the Miami International Autodrome, potentially costing the Mexican driver valuable performance. The revelation comes after Perez narrowly missed advancing to SQ2 by less than four-tenths of a second, despite the team introducing a comprehensive aerodynamic upgrade package for their home race weekend.
The American outfit unveiled an extensively revised car in Miami, featuring new floor, front wing, diffuser and rear suspension components compared to their season-opening specification from the Australian Grand Prix. While both drivers received the upgrade package, Lowdon confirmed that Perez was missing one specific component that could have provided additional performance, with the team promising to rectify the situation through rotation between the drivers.
Perez’s qualifying efforts were further hampered by operational issues that prevented him from completing a crucial second run. The 34-year-old was forced to visit the weigh bridge during the session, leaving insufficient time to refuel and return to the track for another attempt. Despite these setbacks, Perez still outpaced teammate Valtteri Bottas by nearly eight-tenths of a second, though both drivers will start from disappointing positions of 18th and 20th on the 22-car sprint grid.
The Mexican driver expressed satisfaction with his single qualifying lap and the car’s underlying pace, noting that the team appeared capable of reaching SQ2 at certain points during the session. However, he acknowledged that lost practice time earlier in the weekend had left the team at a disadvantage. Perez emphasized the need for Cadillac to resolve their operational issues to fully capitalize on the upgraded package, which he described as a clear step forward in performance.